College projects are supposed to be straightforward, right?
You choose a topic, do the research, put it all together,
and maybe learn something along the way.
When my friend Tyler and I signed up for a class, we
thought it would be fun, a break from the usual grind.
The assignment was simple. Create a short documentary.
But being the overachievers we were, we decided to tackle
something bigger. Something that would set our
project apart from the rest, and most importantly, something that
was interesting to us. And that's how we ended up in
the middle of this supposedly cursed forest not far from where
we live. Our goal was to debunk the local
legends that had kept people out of those trees for decades.
The forest was beautiful in its own way, with tall, lush trees
and a special kind of quiet that was almost therapeutic.
But that silence had a weight to it, like the forest was holding
its breath, waiting for something to happen.
The stories about the forest go back generations.
I've heard Native American tribes used to live there, and
the forest was supposedly sacred ground.
You know, the typical setup for every cursed story in the United
States. But then came the stories of
ghosts, demons, and dark rituals.
In my opinion, it was just old folklore and myths that people
said happened deep in those woods, and those myths got blown
out of proportion and spread through the generations.
Most people avoid the place, and those who didn't usually came
back talking about negative energy and all that garbage.
In case you can't tell yet, I'm not a believer in the paranormal
or in energies or anything like that, and neither was Tyler.
We didn't buy that the woods were cursed.
We thought it was all just superstitions and campfire
stories. That's why we thought this was
the perfect subject for a documentary, a chance to peel
back the layers of folklore and show the world, or at least our
class, that these woods were just another patch of trees.
We spent the first few hours filming the scenery, capturing
shots of the sunlight filtering through the trees, the dense
foliage, and even some of the caves we found scattered
throughout the area. It really was objectively a
beautiful forest. There was one cave in particular
that caught our attention. It wasn't deep, but the way the
light played off the rocks made it perfect for the eerie vibe we
were going for in our film. As we set up the camera inside,
it felt like something had changed.
The sun started to shift behind the clouds, and it almost felt
like the sounds of nature started to quiet down.
Right at that moment, Tyler stopped freezing mid shot.
He whispered something in a very scared voice, asking if I had
heard that. I hadn't heard anything, but the
look on his face was enough to make me feel uncomfortable.
We stood there in the dim light of The Cave, straining our ears.
Then I heard it too, a sort of sound coming from outside.
We had been hearing the wind blow all day, but this was
definitely no wind. It was clearly the sound of
someone or something approaching The Cave.
These footsteps would close in slowly and then just fade into
the distance as if they were running away.
When they got close to The Cave, we exchanged nervous glances at
each other. We had spent the whole day
laughing off the stories, but at that moment I'm not afraid to
admit I felt a twinge of fear. My mind raced with different
scenarios. Maybe it was just another hiker
or some animal passing by, but the longer we stood there, the
more I started to doubt those rational explanations.
Trying to keep a steady voice, I told him we should wrap things
up since we had enough footage. He didn't argue.
We quickly packed up the camera and gear, both trying to play it
off like we were cool, but it was obvious we were both moving
pretty frantically. As we stepped out of The Cave,
the forest seemed darker than it should have been since the sun
had started dipping in and out behind the clouds.
The feeling of dread was overwhelming, and with every
step we took back toward the car, that sense of dread grew.
We hadn't gone far when the sound came again, this time
louder and much closer. We stopped and tried to assess
the sounds. We were listening as the
rustling morphed into the unmistakable sound of footsteps.
We turned and that's when I saw them.
Two dark figures moving swiftly through the trees, their shapes
blurred by the shadows. We both started to run.
I turned back several times, but it was impossible to tell what
was chasing us. I was refusing to believe it was
some dark entity, but I truly couldn't tell in that moment.
My heart was racing as Tyler and I awkwardly ran through the
forest, trying not to run into trees or trip on roots.
It seemed like these people were gliding through the trees.
The faster we ran, the louder the footsteps grew until it felt
like they were right on top of us.
I risked a final glance over my shoulder and got my clearest
view of them. Not only were they still chasing
us, but they were closing in fast.
They were clearly human shaped, but something was just off about
them, something in the way they moved.
I couldn't make out any details other than that they were shaped
like people, dressed all in black and moving so effortlessly
through the trees. Tyler could see I was slowing
down as I looked back and he shouted for me to hurry up.
We made our final push to the car and practically dove in,
slamming the door shut behind us.
Tyler fumble for his keys, his hand shaking when he finally
turned the ignition. The engine roared to life and
relief flooded through me until I looked down and saw the
dashboard light up with a warning tire pressure low.
Tyler looked confused but didn't think too much about it.
He threw the car into gear, but the moment we tried to move, the
vehicle lurched awkwardly. Our tires were flat, all of
them. I stuck my head out the window
and saw that the tires looked as though they had been slashed.
Before we could fully process what was happening, movement
caught my eye. I looked up and there they were,
three people, not just two, emerging from the tree line,
walking slowly toward us. My stomach dropped as I realized
they were the same blurred shapes I had seen before.
These weren't ghostly apparitions, but actual humans
dressed in solid black from head to toe, their faces hidden
behind featureless masks. These masks looked similar to
ski masks or something, just complete black.
The car was locked, but that did little to calm the rising panic
inside me. As they drew closer, Tyler
frantically tried to dial for help, but the signal was weak
and the call kept failing to connect.
Finally, Tyler got through to someone.
He screamed for help giving our location, but then the call
dropped again. I could see the figures more
clearly than ever now. One of them had a slender build
and smaller hands with glittering nail Polish, a detail
that should have been insignificant but somehow made
the situation even stranger. I almost wished it was some dark
entity instead of a person. One of them started banging on
the window, while the other two began kicking the doors and
banging on the hood. Their fists slammed against the
doors, rattling the car with every hit.
My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to think of some plan,
but the situation was paralyzing.
The smaller one with the nail Polish started pounding harder
on the window, the glass beginning to crack under the
force. I could hear them laughing,
which only made the situation more horrifying.
The glass felt like it was going to give, I knew it, and there
was nothing we could do. But then, through all the chaos,
we saw lights appear, sirens in the rear view mirror.
For once in my life, I was glad to see them.
The masked figures froze, their laughter stopping as they turned
to look. As the vehicle approached, I
could make out that it was a park Ranger.
Without a word, the people bolted back into the woods,
disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.
The Ranger pulled up beside us, his face a mixture of concern
and confusion. He got out of his car and asked
if we were OK. We nodded, still too rattled to
speak. The Ranger LED us to his
vehicle, his radio crackling as he called for backup, and we
left the car behind. The relief of being away from
those woods was almost indescribable.
Back at the station, a bunch of cops showed up and we gave our
statements detailing everything that had happened.
While we were still there, the police caught one of the people.
It turned out to be a large guy with a goatee and tattoos of
roses on each side of his temples, the stems curling down
his cheeks and neck. Perhaps the worst part of the
story is when the officers asked him during questioning why he
did what he did. Apparently he just smiled and
said because I could and I wanted to.
His voice contained no remorse or empathy, and he seemed almost
happy about it. From what they said, we never
found out who the other two weirdos were.
We never learned if they were part of some gang or just a
bunch of psychos. And honestly, I'm not sure I
want to. The thought of them still out
there, lurking in those woods, waiting for their next victims
is enough to keep me awake at night.
After all of this, Tyler and I proved that the woods aren't
haunted, but that doesn't mean monsters don't inhabit them.
It was early Sunday morning. I live in the suburbs, but my
parents own a farm that I enjoy visiting because I get to see my
dog, Molly. She's a mutt, but not a small
dog by any means. At that time I felt very safe
around her and would often take her for walks in the nearby
forest. The day started off like any
other. My dad and I got in the car,
drove around for a while, and then arrived at the farm.
I got out of the car and hugged Molly.
My parents always got angry when I hugged her because I would
smell like her for the rest of the day.
I put a leash on her and asked my dad if I could take her for a
walk. He always thought we'd just go
down the road and back, but I always found it more interesting
to take her into the forest. I felt a kind of peace and
relaxation there that was unmatched by anything else.
So we took a turn and headed into the forest.
When we got there I took her leash off so she could explore
on her own. Most of the time I would carve
my name into the trees or look for anything interesting.
On this particular day I was playing baseball with some rocks
and a wooden leg, most likely from an old table.
Then I heard it. Molly was barking at something.
This wasn't normal when we were in the forest.
I thought it might be a fox or some other animal, so I quickly
grabbed the wooden leg as a weapon.
I knew that if it was a fox, I'd need to defend myself, but
holding the leg gave me a sense of security.
I called out Molly. Molly, but she kept barking.
This was strange because she always came to me when I called.
I followed the sound of her barking and stumbled upon a
scene I'll never forget. There was a man, most likely in
his late 50s, half naked, carrying a large machete in one
hand and holding moonshine in the other.
This was the first time I'd ever come across someone in the
woods, especially someone half naked and wielding a massive
machete. He was completely ignoring Molly
and was hacking away at the ground.
For some reason, I had no idea how to handle the situation.
Even now, I don't know how I would.
Sir, are you OK? I asked, confused.
I didn't grasp the seriousness of the situation at the time.
He turned around and I'll never forget his face.
His eyes were in intense blue, eyes I'd never seen before.
To this day I remember how wide open they were.
Come here, boy, look what I dug up, he said.
I was afraid that if I didn't listen to him, he might chase
after me, and that was something I wanted to avoid at all costs.
I got closer but kept a good distance.
I didn't see anything except for an empty hole.
He returned to hacking at the ground with his machete,
occasionally taking sips from the bottle.
I used this opportunity to get Molly and started walking away
slowly, trying not to alert him that I was leaving.
Then I took one final glance at the man.
This time his head was deep in the hole.
I was intrigued, so I kept looking.
I know how stupid of me. When he finally stood up, I was
shocked to see that he had a bone in his mouth.
I have no idea what kind of bone it was, or if it even belonged
to an animal. That's when I had seen enough.
I started running with my dog. As we ran I heard him laughing
and then I saw something flying out of the corner of my eye.
It was that damn machete. I heard him yell.
God damn it. This made me run even faster.
I knew the forest well, so I wasn't afraid of getting lost.
I ran through branches and bushes until I got out of the
forest, but I didn't stop running until I reached the
garage where my father was testing lights on our tractor.
I didn't tell him a single thing about the man because I was
afraid he'd get angry and wouldn't let me walk Molly
anymore. Needless to say, I never, ever
went into that forest alone again.
It was the last week before I had to head back to college, and
my friends Jen and Ashley decided that we needed one more
adventure before the summer officially ended.
We planned a light hike through the woods and an overnight camp
out, but nothing too intense. No pun intended for those who
got my intense joke anyway. We just wanted enough of a
getaway to feel like we'd done something besides working and
binge watching Netflix all summer.
The day started out exactly how we hoped.
We packed the car with our gear, grabbed some snacks, and hit the
road with music blasting and the windows down.
I think we played Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus at least seven
times. The hike we chose was about an
hour away, a spot Jen's older brother had told us about.
It's pretty secluded, he said, but it's beautiful and you'll
practically have the place to yourselves.
That sounded perfect to us. On the way, we decided it
wouldn't be a real camping trip without some beers, so we pulled
into a gas station to try our luck.
None of us were 21 yet, but Ashley, with her usual
confidence, strode into the store to give it a shot.
Jen and I waited in the car laughing and chatting, but when
Ashley came back out empty handed and shaking her head, we
knew it was a no go. In an annoyed voice she said the
stupid guy wouldn't even entertain the idea.
Ashley sighed as she slid back into the driver's seat.
I could tell she was slightly embarrassed.
Ashley wasn't used to hearing no.
Just as we were about to give up on the beer idea, a guy who had
been filling up his tank walked over to our car.
He looked normal enough, average height, a little scruffy, maybe
in his mid 20s. He was wearing a nice purple
flannel that didn't look ragged or gross.
Most noticeable, though, was his friendly smile.
But something about how quick he was to approach us set off a
tiny alarm bell in my head. In a deep, almost bellowing
voice he said hey. Then leaning down to Jen's
window, he added. Saw you had some trouble in
there. Need help getting something?
His tone seemed casual, but his eyes were all over us, lingering
just a bit too long for comfort. Ashley, always the bold 1,
jumped at the chance. Yeah, could you grab us some
beers? We've got cash.
She said, handing him a 20. He nodded, smiling.
Sure thing, what do you want? Still, something about his smile
was off to me. Ashley kept talking to him and I
tried to silently communicate my unease to Jen, but it was too
late. The guy was already walking into
the store. When he came back out, he had a
case of beer in one hand and the change in the other.
Here you go. He said, handing it all over
with that same smile. Then he hesitated, like he was
waiting for something. Thanks man.
Ashley said quickly grabbing the beer and giving him a little
wave. Jen started the car and before
the guy could say anything else we drove off.
As we pulled out of the parking lot, I glanced back and saw him
still standing there, seemingly watching us.
That was weird, I muttered, but Ashley brushed it off, saying
relax, he was just being nice. We got our beer, didn't we?
The drive to the trailhead was uneventful and soon we were out
in the woods surrounded by tall trees and the sound of birds.
The hike was gorgeous, just like Jen's brother had said.
The path wound through the trees with sunlight filtering through
the leaves, and we were laughing, taking pictures and
enjoying the peace that came with being away from
civilization. But as the day wore on, I
started to feel a little uneasy. Every now and then I thought I
heard something simple, things like twigs snapping, leaves
rustling, or the sound of sudden shifting in the distance.
But whenever I turned around, there was nothing there.
I told myself it was just the usual sounds of the forest, but
no matter what I told myself, I couldn't shake the feeling.
By the time we set up camp, the sun was finally setting and our
little corner of the forest was getting dark fast.
We built a small fire roasted marshmallows and cracked open a
few of the beers we almost didn't get.
Jen and Ashley were having a blast, and on the surface I
appeared to be having fun too, but I couldn't ignore the creepy
darkness closing in around us. While we were sitting around the
campfire, it was Jen who first mentioned the sounds out loud.
Do you guys hear that? She asked in a low, almost
whispering voice. It sounds like, I don't know,
like someone walking around out there.
Ashley quickly responded. Come on, it's probably just
animals. But even she didn't sound
entirely convinced. We all sat there listening
intently, but after a while the noises stopped and we tried to
shake off the uncomfortable vibe around the fire.
Eventually we crawled into the tent, snuggled into our sleeping
bags, and tried to get some sleep.
But sleep didn't come easily. The sounds outside started up
again, faint but unmistakable. To me, it sounded like bipedal
footsteps. My heart was pounding and I
could tell Jen and Ashley were awake and hearing it too by the
way they shifted in their bags. After what felt like hours of
lying there, eyes wide open in the dark, I couldn't take it
anymore. The fire had died down before we
got into the tent and I wanted to make sure it was completely
out. I whispered to the girls that I
was stepping outside for a minute and they silently agreed.
I unzipped the tent and stepped out into the cool night.
The woods were pitch black except for the faint glow of the
embers from our fire. I grabbed a bottle of water and
was about to pour it over the coals when I heard the rustling
again. This time, it sounded like
footsteps directly behind me. I froze, unable to catch my
breath. Slowly, I turned and there,
standing just a few feet away, was what I could only describe
as the guy from the gas station. His face was barely visible in
the dim light, but I recognized him instantly.
I recognized the purple flannel from earlier.
I wanted to scream, to run, but I was rooted to the spot, so
scared I forgot how to breathe. He just stood there, staring at
me, not moving a muscle. Somehow that made the situation
even worse. It felt like an eternity, but
finally I found my voice. Get away from me.
I screamed. The sound seemed to snap him out
of whatever trance he was in. He took a step back, then
another, and before I knew it he was sprinting off into the
woods. I didn't wait to see where he
went. I ran back to the tent, shaking
Jen and Ashley awake. We need to go now.
I could feel my voice shaking. I told them the guy from earlier
was outside and that was enough to get them panicking.
We packed up in record time, not even bothering to fold the tent
properly. We just stuffed everything into
our bags and took off down the trail.
The trail back was nerve racking.
It was so dark and our flashlights barely illuminated
the path. Every sound we heard made us
more erratic, causing us to run faster.
We got to the car before dawn and we didn't say much on the
drive home. We were all too freaked out to
process what had just happened. In hindsight, we should have
called the police right then and there, but all we wanted was to
get away. When we finally pulled into
Jen's driveway, we just sat there, staring straight ahead.
That's when I finally called the police to report what had
happened. I told them about the guy from
the gas station, about the approximate time we had
encountered him. I remember Ashley begging me to
get off the phone because she was scared she'd get in trouble
for the alcohol. But if this guy was some sort of
creep, I wanted the cops to know.
It's been years now, and we never did figure out what that
guy wanted, or if it was even him following us.
After that night our summer adventures were over.
I can still imagine the sight of him standing there in the dark,
staring at me, and I often wonder what would have happened
if I hadn't gone out to check the fire.
Not that it's the most reassuring thought, but I also
hope he was just a peeping creep and not something far worse.
I've been running in these woods for as long as I can remember,
but this encounter made me change my mind.
The story begins around 6:30 PM. I had finished eating and
decided to go for a run as I always do.
I always use the same path, cross the street, run for about
a mile and pass the gate that leads into the forest.
Something important to note is that the trail I use in the
forest splits about halfway through.
One path is paved and the other isn't.
I always take the unpaved trail 1st and then turn onto the paved
one after about 3 miles. Nothing really ever goes wrong.
I occasionally meet some people walking their dogs, but other
than that I'm pretty much alone. At least I thought I was.
I've been running for a while when I heard a notification from
my phone. It was an AirDrop notification.
Since I didn't want to appear worried, I kept running for a
couple more minutes before stopping to change the music
dreadfully. I opened the AirDrop.
Who the hell was sending me stuff?
I was pretty sure I was alone. I clicked on the drop and my
heart sank. It was a Snapchat picture of me
running with the caption. You look good.
I didn't turn around, instead I kept running like nothing had
happened until I reached a certain point.
You see, the forest is surrounded by a fence to keep
children from entering unsupervised.
When I was little, I didn't like that rule, so my friends and I
cut a hole in it. When I aligned with that hole, I
quickly turned and buried myself into the forest, aiming for my
escape. I could hear something behind
me, but I still didn't turn back.
When I finally reached the hole, I jumped through it and
absolutely booked it to the fire station a couple of streets
down. The last thing I heard as I left
the forest was an angry huff and metal scraping against metal.
I still don't know who it was or what they wanted from me, but I
will never run in that forest again.
Later that night, I went to the bathroom multiple times.
For the past four days, every time I leave the bathroom, I can
see myself still standing in the mirror from the corner of my
eye. It's as if the other me is
watching me leave the bathroom. It terrifies me to the point
where I almost run out without looking directly at the mirror.
I never told my husband about it because I didn't want to
acknowledge it out loud. Today I took a nap in our bed
while my husband sat in a chair next to it watching TV.
When I woke up he told me he had seen me sit up, crawl backward
to the edge of the bed, and stand in front of our bedroom
door from the corner of his eye. He thought it was weird because
I'm in the last month of my pregnancy and I can't really
move well without pain. So he tried talking to me, but
when I didn't answer he looked at the door to find me still in
bed sleeping. I got really creeped out and
finally told him about what I've been seeing in the bathroom.
He thought it was creepy too, but he didn't want to talk about
it anymore because he believes discussing it will give whatever
it is power or energy. I have no idea what it wants or
why we've both seen it. If you have any idea, please let
me know. Also, as you're getting ready
for bed tonight, when you walk out of the bathroom, take a
quick peek behind you at the mirror.
See if your reflection is still looking at you as you walk away.
Back in 2014, my wife and I, along with our friends John and
Mike, had been planning a hiking trip for many weeks.
We all work together and it was rare for us to get a long
weekend off at the same time, given that we had such
drastically different jobs. So when the opportunity finally
came, we jumped at it. The plan was to head out early
Saturday morning and spend the entire day exploring the
wilderness. We had mapped out a trail that
promised stunning views, and we were all eager to disconnect
from the world for a while. The drive to the trailhead was
peaceful. The sun was just starting to
rise, casting everything in this amazing orange glow.
We were laughing, swapping stories, and enjoying the early
start. But as soon as we arrived at the
trailhead, our excitement took a hit.
The sky darkened almost instantly, and within minutes,
it started to downpour. It was raining so hard that we
couldn't see anything in front of us.
We hoped it was just a passing shower and decided to wait it
out in the car. We'd already made the drive
there, and we weren't about to turn around and head home just
yet. The rain pounded against the
roof and the windows fogged up with our breath.
It wasn't the start we had imagined, but we were determined
to make the best of it. After about 20 minutes, the rain
LED up, leaving behind a misty, overcast day.
We debated whether we should continue the hike, but the trail
was calling us and we didn't want to waste any time, so we
grabbed our gear and headed out. We didn't get very far before
the rain started again, this time even harder.
It was like someone had turned on a faucet and we were drenched
within seconds. We ran back to the car, laughing
and cursing at the same time, trying to shield ourselves from
the downpour. But as we reached the car, we
saw something that made us all stop in our tracks.
Standing next to the SUV was a young woman.
She was soaked to the bone, her clothes clinging to her thin
frame like rags. She looked like she had been
through hell. Her hair was matted and her face
was covered in what looked like dirt.
At first I thought maybe I was seeing things because of the
rain, but no, she was definitely real and standing directly next
to my car. Even more unsettling, she
appeared to be looking into the windows.
Without thinking, I shouted something like, hey, get away
from my car. It was more out of fear than
anything else. It was instinctive, and I just
felt this rush of adrenaline telling me something wasn't
quite right. But she didn't move.
She just stood there, staring at us with hollow eyes.
She had that look like a deer does in the middle of the woods,
just sort of standing there like a statue.
Before I could let out another angry shout, my wife held me
back and said in a very concerned voice, Wait, hold on.
She even suggested the woman looked hurt.
John and Mike were silent, unsure of what to do.
I didn't want to let this stranger into our car, but I
couldn't ignore the fact that she might be in serious trouble.
So against my better judgement, we all piled into the SUV, with
the woman sitting behind the front passenger seat and my wife
in the middle seat trying to comfort her.
The car was cramped, the windows fogged up again from the sudden
influx of bodies, and you could feel the tension.
It went from being a fun hiking trip to dealing with a strange,
potentially hurt woman in the middle of nowhere.
The woman didn't say much. In fact, she didn't say anything
at all. She just sat there, shivering
and staring straight ahead. My wife thought she might be in
shock and started to assume the worst.
The woman had makeup running down her cheeks and it was
impossible to tell if it was from the rain or crying.
We tried asking her where she was from and what had happened,
but she didn't respond. I kept glancing at her in the
rearview mirror, trying to read her expression, but there was
nothing there, just a vacant look.
The lights were on, but nobody was home.
John suggested we get her to the nearest gas station and call for
help. We all agreed as there was no
cell service out here, so that was our best option.
I started the car and we headed down the muddy Rd. with the
windshield wipers working overtime to keep the rain at
Bay. Now I know it's easy to say this
in hindsight, but something wasn't sitting right with me.
I know it was a tense situation, but that wasn't what bothered
me. It was the way she just appeared
out of nowhere, her silence and how she didn't seem fazed by the
cold or rain. That's what bothered me.
It was clear the woman had issues and it was impossible to
tell if she was dangerous or just truly shaken up.
I could tell my wife and friends were trying to stay calm, but I
could feel their discomfort, especially Mike's.
We were about two minutes from the gas station when the woman
suddenly started to scream. Not just a little scream, but a
loud, high pitched guttural sound that startled me so badly
I nearly lost control of the car.
She thrashed around in the back seat, hitting the windows and
seats, making it impossible for me to regain control.
I tried my best to keep the SUV on the road, but the road was
slick and before I knew it we veered off and into a ditch.
The car came to a sudden stop and for a moment everything was
silent except for the pounding rain.
We were all trying to catch our breath and make sense of what
had just happened. Then the woman started cackling.
It was a cold, empty laugh that snapped us back to reality.
She was howling with laughter. I had a minor scrape on my
forehead from hitting the steering wheel, but everyone
else appeared to be OK. Before anyone could say
anything, John shouted at her. What the hell is wrong with you?
The woman's insane laughter came to an abrupt stop.
She pulled out a small blade from inside her shirt.
It looked like a box cutter from where I was sitting.
She put her left elbow into my wife's neck and held the blade
to Mike's throat, saying give me all your money now.
One of the most unsettling parts of this nightmare was the lack
of fear in her voice. It was just this sick sort of
satisfaction. We didn't argue.
We threw down whatever cash and belongings we had.
We were all too scared to do anything else.
My wife started crying, John was cursing under his breath, and I
was just trying to keep it together for everyone.
The woman grabbed the money, opened the car door and sprinted
into the rain without looking back.
We sat there in silence with the back door still open.
After a few moments, I started the car again and my wife closed
the door. We drove the rest of the way to
the gas station. We reported the incident, but by
then the woman was long gone. The police took our statements,
but it was clear they didn't expect to find her.
To this day, I have no idea who that woman was or where she came
from. I thought maybe she was a meth
addict or something. For a while after that, I looked
up crimes in the area, but I never found anything that
remotely fit that description. All I know is that we were lucky
to get out of that situation alive.
This was one of the worst experiences of my life and even
though I was happy to get out physically unharmed, I still
think about it. It makes me sick knowing that
somewhere out there that wild woman is most likely terrorizing
someone else. This story took place
approximately 8 years ago. I'm going to change the names
for anonymity and this is also a burner account so it will be the
only post I make under this account.
You see, I was with my girlfriend, let's call her
Sarah, for four years at the time of the story.
We both loved the outdoors, hiking, fishing, picnics, you
name it. We love taking drives to random
parks and just exploring. One Saturday morning we decided
to go for a hike. It was a decent drive for us, so
I brought our camping gear just in case we decided to camp or
sleep in the car instead of driving home.
Depending on the weather, we might just suck it up and drive
home since neither of us wanted to sleep in the rain, even in
the car. The hike started out peaceful
and enjoyable with the melody of running water, birds, bugs, and
other woodland animals. That's what drew us outdoors in
the 1st place, the escape from the hustle and bustle of
everyday life. It was a place where we could
clear our heads and find Peace of Mind.
We usually spent most of our time talking about the future,
our wedding, the kind of neighborhood we wanted to live
in, the house, and all the other things that come with the next
chapter of life. We would discuss our dream
scenarios like where we wanted to establish a hometown and
where we might escape the winters.
Not having kids we thought would hopefully free us up financially
to make those dreams a reality someday.
It's hard to explain, but I felt like we had our best
conversations while hiking. As we went deeper into the
woods, I got a strange feeling of paranoia.
It felt like the peaceful sounds around us had changed somehow.
The animals had a different tone or vibration, and the sound of
the water we passed long ago now resembled whispers.
I felt like we were being followed and as if someone was
trying to get my attention. I quickly shook it off and
continued the conversation we were having at the time.
I started feeling tired and asked if we could take a break.
I was surprised that I needed one and figured I hadn't had
enough water that day, thinking dehydration was to blame.
After the break, I noticed a shift in Sarah's mood and
mannerisms. She seemed much quieter and
grumpier than usual. I brushed it off, assuming she
was just tired too, and tried to steer the conversation towards
something positive to cheer her up.
Not long after her mood shifted, she became outright rude.
Every comment I made was met with a sarcastic or snarky
remark. At first I thought she was
joking, but I quickly realized she wasn't.
I asked if she wanted to turn around, take another break, or
continue in silence, anything to gauge what would make the
situation better, but she remained silent and refused to
communicate with me at all. I began replaying the day in my
head, wondering if I had said or done something to upset her, but
I couldn't think of anything. Then, as we reached the deepest
part of our hike, Sarah suddenly had a complete manic breakdown.
She started screaming and crying at the same time.
When I tried to approach her to ask what was going on, she
became violent, flailing her arms, and one of them hit me
directly in the temple, knocking my glasses off.
I'm nearly blind without my glasses, so I panicked,
scrambling on the ground like Velma trying to find them while
Sarah continued flailing her arms and running away screaming
in the opposite direction. Thankfully I found my glasses,
quickly got up and chased after her.
When I caught up, she seemed completely out of it.
Her eyes weren't glazed over, but they look different, like
she was there but not really there.
I know that may sound strange, but it's the best way I can
describe it. By this point she had stopped
screaming and wasn't acting violently anymore.
I sat her down and made her drink some water.
She still wasn't talking much, but she seemed a little more
settled. Once I was sure she could walk,
we started heading back down the trail toward the car.
The further we moved from where her breakdown occurred, the more
she seemed to return to normal. She began talking to me again
and asked if she had said or done anything strange.
She told me she had no memory of what happened and was
embarrassed and apologetic for her episode.
By the time we were about half a mile from the car, she was
completely back to her usual self.
I, however, was still struggling to process what had happened.
In the four years we'd been together, I had never seen her
act like that, even during the happiest or most stressful times
of our lives. Sarah was a big believer in the
supernatural, so she was convinced that something dark
had taken over her body. I didn't believe that.
I thought there had to be some rational explanation.
After doing some research, I found that there are certain
plants in those woods that can mess you up.
I think she must have come into contact with something that
triggered her episode. Some of those plants can cause
mania, fever, and even hallucinations.
It got me thinking that maybe I had come into contact with
something too, which might explain the anxiety I had felt
earlier in the day. Without a clear answer, I've
chosen the simplest solution. Never hike there again.
Has anyone else experienced something similar?
If so, I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts.
Girl Scouts have always been a huge part of my life.
When I was little, some of my best memories were going to Girl
Scout meetings with my mom. It wasn't really about selling
cookies or earning badges though.
It was more about the time I spent with her, working on my
uniform and talking about the things I learned.
I don't know why, but certain memories, like my mom sewing
those little badges on, stick out more than others.
Maybe it's because I lost her when I was still pretty young,
and those moments became more precious to me over time.
Even though I never had kids of my own, I still loved being
involved with the Girl Scouts. I stayed a part of it as a
volunteer, helping out whenever I could, especially on the
annual camping trips. Those were always fun.
The girls would get so excited about spending time in the woods
hiking, making s'mores, and staying up too late telling
ghost stories around the campfire.
I wasn't a huge fan of the outdoors when I was their age,
but as an adult I loved seeing how much fun they had.
This trip started out like all the others.
It was early morning and we were just getting everything set up.
Tents were being pitched, supplies unpacked, and everyone
was buzzing with excitement. I was in charge of helping with
the arts and crafts, but the first activity of the day was a
hike. We always started with a short
walk through the woods, just to give the girls a chance to
stretch their legs and get a feel for the area.
Plus, it tired them out a little, which meant they were
more likely to fall asleep easily.
Later that night the hike began like usual.
The girls were laughing and chatting, skipping along the
trail, and the other volunteers and I made sure they stayed in
line and didn't wander off. The trail was wide and well
marked, nothing dangerous. But as we went further into the
woods, I started to feel something strange.
At first I thought it was just my imagination, but soon the air
felt heavier. The usual sounds of the forest,
birds chirping, leaves rustling seemed to fade away.
I couldn't hear anything except a weird buzzing in my ears.
Like when you're on an airplane and your ears need to pop.
I shook my head, trying to snap out of it.
I looked around and saw the girls still walking ahead.
All fine, but something wasn't right.
That's when I noticed Cindy was missing.
Cindy was one of the quieter girls in the group.
She usually stayed near the back, close to the adults.
My heart started racing. I called her name, trying not to
sound too worried. No answer.
I speed up, moving from group to group, asking if anyone had seen
her. Nothing.
A few of the other adults joined me and we began calling for her,
scanning the trees and bushes for any sign of her.
Minutes passed and my panic grew.
How could a girl disappear so quickly?
We stopped the group, keeping the other girls close as we
continued to search. My mind raced with horrible
thoughts. Had she wandered too far off?
Was she hurt? Lost.
Just as we were about to contact the authorities, I saw movement
out of the corner of my eye. There she was, walking calmly a
little ways off the trail, like she hadn't been missing at all.
Relief washed over me, but as I approached her, something about
her felt off. She wasn't scared or upset.
In fact, she was smiling like everything was perfectly fine.
I took her hand, but that feeling of unease in the pit of
my stomach didn't go away. Something wasn't right.
When I found Cindy, I was so relieved.
But the way she was acting felt strange.
She wasn't scared or even upset that she had gotten lost.
Instead, she seemed completely calm.
Almost too calm for a little girl who had just wandered off
into the woods by herself. As I held her hand and LED her
back to the group, she started humming a little tune, which was
unusual for her. Cindy was normally very quiet
and shy, not the type to hum or talk much.
As we walked, I decided to ask her a few questions.
I wanted to make sure she was OK, and I also needed to figure
out where she had been. Hey Cindy.
I started trying to sound calm. What happened?
Why did you wander off? She looked up at me with a smile
that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Oh, I wasn't wandering. She said softly.
I was with my friend. My heart skipped a beat.
Your friend, who did you meet in the woods?
I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
The last thing I wanted was for her to feel scared, but the idea
of a stranger being out here near our camp sent a chill down
my spine. Cindy didn't seem worried at
all. She kept that odd little smile
on her face as she said. My friend, they were nice.
They told me to stay away from the man in the red cave.
I froze for a second. What do you mean, Cindy?
I asked, my voice a little shakier now.
Who's the man in the red cave? And where's The Cave?
She shrugged, still smiling. I don't know.
My friend said I shouldn't go there.
The man in the red cave isn't nice.
Goosebumps crawled up my arms. I didn't know what to think.
Was she making this up, or had she actually seen something out
there? Either way, it didn't sit right
with me. I squeezed her hand a little
tighter. Cindy, did anyone else talk to
you or touch you? I asked, my voice more serious
now. She shook her head, her smile
never fading. No, my friend was nice, they
wouldn't hurt me. I didn't know what to say.
Part of me wanted to believe she had just let her imagination run
wild, maybe from hearing spooky stories or being in the woods
for the first time. But another part of me couldn't
shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
When we got back to the group, I kept a close eye on Cindy for
the rest of the day. She acted like nothing had
happened, going along with the activities, talking and laughing
with the other girls. But she still seemed different,
more talkative, more cheerful than I had ever seen her before.
It was unsettling. Later that night, as I lay in my
sleeping bag, I couldn't stop thinking about what she had
said. Who was this friend she met in
the woods? And what was the deal with the
man in the red cave? I kept trying to tell myself it
was just a made-up story, but the more I thought about it, the
more uneasy I felt. Eventually, I drifted off to
sleep, but my dreams were restless, filled with shadows
and strange whispers about a cave deep in the forest.
By morning, I was more tired than I had been before I went to
bed, and the feeling of dread from the day before still clung
to me. I couldn't shake the thought
that something wasn't right. Years went by, and I hardly
thought about that strange camping trip or the weird things
Cindy said. Life got busy and I volunteered
for more Girl Scout events, but I avoided going back to that
particular forest. It wasn't until we planned
another camping trip to the same area that all those memories
started creeping back into my mind.
At first, I didn't think much of it.
It had been a long time, and I figured the whole man in the red
Cave thing was just something Cindy made-up.
Kids have wild imaginations, after all.
But as we set up camp that evening, I couldn't shake the
uneasy feeling growing in my stomach.
I told myself I was being silly. Nothing happened back then,
right? Cindy was fine.
There was no man in the woods. Still, that night sleep didn't
come easily. I lay in my sleeping bag,
staring up at the tent ceiling, trying to push away the strange
sense of dread that seemed to be settling in around me.
The forest was quiet. Too quiet.
The usual sounds of crickets and wind in the trees seemed muted,
just like they had on that hike years ago.
Around midnight, I heard someone moving outside the tent.
I quickly sat up, heart racing. One of the girls was walking
toward the fire pit, her small figure barely visible in the dim
light. I grabbed my flashlight and
stepped out of the tent, quietly calling after her.
Hey sweetie, what are you doing up?
You OK? She turned and looked at me, her
eyes wide and sleepy. I'm fine, She said softly.
I just couldn't sleep. My friend keeps waking me up.
My heart dropped. I took a deep breath and tried
to stay calm. Your friend.
Are you sure someone's not just talking in your tent?
She shook her head. No, it's my friend.
They keep telling me I need to go see the man in the red cave.
I froze, my flashlight trembling in my hand.
What did you say? I asked, my voice barely above a
whisper. The man in the red cave?
She repeated, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
My friend says I should go find him.
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.
It was happening again. I knelt down to her level,
trying to stay calm even though my mind was racing.
Who's your friend? Is it someone in your tent?
She looked confused for a moment.
No, I don't know. I only see them in my dreams,
but they always wake me up. I swallowed hard, my mouth
suddenly dry. OK, I said, keeping my voice
steady. Let's get you back to bed, and
if your friend wakes you up again, just come get me, OK?
She nodded and followed me back to her tent, crawling inside
without another word. But I couldn't go back to sleep.
My mind was spinning with fear and confusion.
How could another girl, years later, be talking about the same
thing? The man in the red cave wasn't
real, was he? I stayed awake the rest of the
night, listening for any strange sounds, but nothing else
happened. By the time the sun rose, I was
exhausted, and I made-up my mind I would never come back to this
forest again. Whatever was out there, whether
it was real or just some strange coincidence, I didn't want to
know. And I didn't want to risk
hearing about the Man in the Red Cave ever again.
A few years ago, I spent a summer working as a lifeguard at
a resort nestled deep in the mountains.
The place wasn't exactly a tourist hotspot, but it had a
steady stream of visitors. A lot of people were just
looking to get away from the noise of city life, hike a few
trails, and soak in the peace and quiet of the mountain area.
The resort was spread out with a main hotel, some cabins
scattered around the property, and a pool that on most days was
more about lounging than swimming.
It was a lazy afternoon, the kind where the sun hung high and
the most exciting thing to do was sip on an ice cold drink
while drifting in and out of 1/2 nap.
I was on lifeguard duty at the pool, making sure no one did
anything stupid. The usual crowd was there,
mostly married couples and young adults celebrating events,
specifically a Bachelorette party.
Then I noticed a guy hanging around the fence that separated
the pool area from the rest of the resort.
He was dressed for swimming and just stood there watching the
group of young women celebrating The Bachelorette party.
The women were sunbathing and standing around the shallow end
of the pool. At first I didn't think much of
it. People get curious and it wasn't
uncommon for someone to come over and ask about pool hours or
how to get a guest pass. But this guy wasn't asking
questions, he just stood there, watching the women and talking
to them. They seemed to be doing their
best to ignore him. I couldn't hear what he was
saying, but I could tell from the way they were avoiding eye
contact and shifting uncomfortably that they weren't
interested in whatever he was saying.
After a few minutes, I decided to step in.
I walked over to the edge of the pool, trying to keep things
casual, and called out in a calm voice asking if he had a pool
key. The guy turned to look at me and
his face was expressionless. For a moment I thought he was
going to argue, but instead he just shrugged and mumbled
something under his breath before walking away.
The women gave me relieved smiles, and one of them, a
brunette with the most beautiful smile I've ever seen, waved me
over in a sincere voice. She thanked me, saying he was
really starting to creep us out. I tried to keep cool and
confident, replying no problem, just doing my job.
I felt a bit like an idiot, like I was some sort of superhero,
but thankfully they didn't think I sounded dumb.
The woman who had spoken introduced herself as Abby and
then pointed out the rest of the group, Rachel, Claire, Danny and
Bree. They were celebrating Bree's
Bachelorette party. We chatted for a bit, they were
staying in one of the cabins for the weekend.
As it turned out they were planning a little get together
that night and invited me to join.
Being a single guy with not much else to do, I figured why not.
Later that evening, I headed over to their cabin.
The sun was setting and the temperature was cooling down
drastically. The cabin was cozy, with a small
porch and a view that overlooked the woods.
Inside. The girls had set up drinks and
snacks, and soft music played in the background.
It was just the six of us, and the vibe was relaxed and
easygoing. Apparently they had invited a
few other guys they met earlier that afternoon, but I was the
only one who showed up. We talked and laughed, and after
a couple of drinks, some of the girls started getting a bit
adventurous. Bree suggested a night hike.
I wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but I didn't want to be a
killjoy, so I went along, not because I was scared, but
because I worked there and knew what kind of animals lurked in
the woods at night. I'm not a huge fan of those
encounters. We grabbed some flashlights and
headed out, sticking to a trail that looped around the resort.
As we walked, the usual nighttime sounds surrounded us.
Crickets chirping, the occasional rustling of leaves,
typical forest sounds. But after a while, I started
hearing something else. It was quiet at first, like
someone was walking at a distance behind us, but every
time I turned around, I saw nothing but darkness.
Eventually, Abby looked visibly scared and nervously asked if we
had heard anything. We all stopped, listening
intently. There it was again, erratic and
rapid movements. Somewhere nearby in the
darkness. This wasn't just the typical
sounds of wind blowing through the trees, it sounded more
deliberate. We all looked at each other, and
that's when Rachel said she'd had enough.
She and Brie decided to head back to the cabin, and I didn't
blame them. The rest of us followed, keeping
a quick pace. By the time we made it back, the
mood had shifted. The carefree energy from earlier
was gone, replaced by nervous tension.
We locked the doors and tried to shake off the feeling of being
watched, but it wasn't easy. We sat around trying to laugh it
off, but something about the evening just felt off.
Speaking for myself, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone
or something had been out in the woods with us.
In a moment of monumental stupidity, Danny and Bri decided
to go back outside. Several minutes later, we heard
footsteps outside the cabin. We turned down the music and
listened intently. It sounded like footsteps
circling the cabin, each step slow and deliberate.
It didn't sound like Danny and Brie.
These were heavy, methodical footsteps.
Rachel, who had been the most rattled by the hike, froze and
asked. Did you guys lock the back door?
I shot up from my seat, grabbed a flashlight for some reason,
and ran towards the back door to check the lock.
It was secure, but I had this sinking feeling that someone was
out there. I could only see a little bit
through the window, and it was completely possible that someone
was standing just outside my view.
As I turned back towards the group, I heard a loud crash from
the front of the cabin. Before I could react, Danny and
Bree came barreling into the living room, screaming that
someone had been chasing them in the woods.
I moved toward the door, hoping to calm them down.
As I stood in the doorway. Before closing it, I looked out
to the front of the cabin. That's when I saw him.
A man running straight at me, a hood pulled over his face.
He tackled me to the ground in an instant.
The air rushed out of my lungs as I hit the floor.
He was stronger than I expected, and he was reaching for
something at his waistband. I couldn't tell what it was, but
I assumed it wasn't good for me. I knew I had to fight back, but
I was struggling to get him off me.
Just as I thought I was done for, I heard a loud thud and the
weight on top of me shifted. Looking up, I saw Abby standing
over both of us holding a Golf Club.
Her face was pale but determined.
She had hit him hard on the side of the head and he was out cold.
We called the police, who surprisingly showed up quickly
given the resort's remote location.
It turns out this guy was the new maintenance man, someone who
had just started working at the resort a few days earlier.
He had been using his position to scope out the place.
God knows what he had planned for that night.
We press charges and he was arrested on the spot.
If Abby hadn't acted quickly, I might not be sitting here
writing this. It still blows my mind that
there are people out there in the world who are just that
evil. This man seemed to have no
motive other than to bring harm to me and those girls.
My now ex-boyfriend, who I'll call Roger and I love to travel
and take trips as much as possible.
We enjoyed exploring new places and getting away, even if it was
just for a few days. We're both pretty big introverts
and prefer doing our own thing, especially when hiking or
camping. We like to be in secluded areas,
avoiding crowded campsites or trails where you're shoulder to
shoulder with others. One day we decided to visit a
new hiking trail that Rodger heard about from a friend at
work. It was said to be quite steep,
which we figured would test our limits and provide a nice
getaway for a few days. We had a huge tent and other
amenities to make ourselves comfortable, and I was pretty
excited to escape for a bit. When we arrived, we set up an
impromptu campsite on a flat piece of ground that would
shelter us from the wind during the night.
We started the hike and though I was a bit nervous, I was mostly
excited. However, my excitement quickly
turned to annoyance when we stumbled upon another couple
hiking in the same area. I say I was annoyed, but I
wasn't really upset. After all, everyone has the same
right to public places. It's just that I'm a very
anxious and socially awkward person.
The couple approached us and introduced themselves.
We were polite and made small talk.
They were actually quite charming and the way they
engaged with us put both Roger and me at ease.
They asked if we wanted to continue the hike together, and
since it was such a long trip, we agreed, thinking we could
always turn back if we no longer wanted company.
As I mentioned, the couple was very sweet and knowledgeable
about the area. Despite my usual trouble with
making conversation with new people, I found them
surprisingly easy to talk to. After about 45 minutes of
hiking, I started falling behind a bit.
The guy who I'll call Matthew. I won't use the real names they
gave us. Slowed down and struck up a
conversation with me. This is when things started to
get creepy. He began commenting on my
physique and asked what kind of workouts I do, saying his
partner was trying to tighten her buns and stay fit.
Then he put his hand on my arm and said look at that
definition, you must devote a lot of time to arm days.
I pulled back shocked and uncomfortable.
Just minutes ago I found him charming and now I felt like his
eyes were all over me. I was getting very creepy vibes.
I caught up to Roger and quietly whispered what had happened.
He told me the woman had also started acting weird, making a
comment about his package and made sure to clarify she wasn't
talking about his backpack. Thoroughly creeped out, we
decided to head back. We thanked them for the
conversation, hoping to part ways.
Thankfully, they wanted to finish the hike so we were able
to get back to our campsite without them.
After having a bite to eat, I realized both my bracelet and
ring were gone. I couldn't figure out how I
could have lost them as I never take them off.
It didn't seem likely they would just fall off.
After 15 minutes of searching through my bags, I stopped dead
in my tracks. I leaned over to Roger and said.
Matthew touched my arm and hand when he was complimenting my
definition. Do you think he could have
swiped them without me noticing? We weren't sure, but Roger
suggested heading back up in the morning to see if we could find
anything on the ground. We went to bed early, knowing
we'd get up early to search for the lost jewelry and head home.
In the middle of the night, I woke up to the loud sound of a
snapping branch and what sounded like whispering.
As I became more alert, I shook Roger awake.
He must have heard it too, because he put a finger to his
lips, signaling me to stay quiet.
He quietly unzipped the tent to take a look.
The next thing I knew he was yelling.
Hey, what are you doing over there?
It was the couple from earlier. They claimed they had stumbled
across our campsite and wanted to wake us because they saw a
bear nearby and we're concerned it might attack us.
Roger thanked them for the information but said we were all
set. Then he came back into the tent,
put his finger to his lips again and kept his eyes fixed on the
tent's window, not speaking for several minutes.
After about 5 minutes he looked at me and said grab everything
you can and get in the car. I started to ask why, but he
just repeated the same phrase. We got out and hurriedly grabbed
as much of our stuff as we could.
Rodger even stuffed the half assembled tent into the truck
before we peeled off with the essentials.
Once we were safely on the road, I finally got an explanation.
Rodger told me that when he had stepped out of the tent, he saw
Matthew with a knife in his hand and another one holstered.
He didn't feel safe staying there any longer and knew we
needed to leave as soon as possible.
When we got home and started to process the nightmare, I decided
to look up the names the couple had given us on Facebook.
To my shock, I discovered that the names they gave us belonged
to a couple who had died on a camping trip a few years
earlier. This wasn't some ghost story
either. There were photos of the couple
who had tragically passed and they weren't the people we had
met. For what malicious reasons?
Were they using fake names? Were they just trying to steal
our stuff or was it something worse?
I'm so grateful we left when we did.
We might have found out what their true intentions were if we
had stayed.